Swimming advisories in effect for three North Iowa beaches | Mason City & North Iowa

August 17, 2019

Swimmers and pet owners are encouraged to use caution while recreating at two North Iowa lakes this weekend due to E. coli and microcystin levels.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ weekly sampling at McIntosh Woods State Park in Ventura, Clear Lake State Park and Beed’s Lake State Park in Hampton exceeded the one-time sample maximum of 235 E. coli per 100 milliliters of water with a reading of 2,600, 360 and 550, respectively, Tuesday.

McIntosh Woods and Beed’s Lake also surpassed the state’s threshold for microcystin of 20 micrograms per liter of water with a reading of 24.525 and 53.99, respectively.

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Swimming is not recommended at McIntosh Woods and Clear Lake State Park beaches on Clear Lake as well as Beeds Lake Beach, the DNR’s water quality monitoring site says.

High levels of bacteria are attributed to fecal contamination of beach water from improperly constructed and operated septic systems and sewage treatment plants, manure spills and storm water runoff from land with wildlife and pet droppings.

According to the DNR, surface runoff after a heavy rainfall may transport high levels of fecal bacteria to the water at the beach. It also increases the sediment in the water causing it to be murky. Sunlight destroys the bacteria and improves the water quality.

The swimming advisories are among eight, including E. coli- and microcystin-related, issued throughout Iowa after this week’s sampling. Others include beaches at Backbone, Green Valley and Lake of Three Fires state parks.

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North Iowa Nine: What’s happening in North Iowa (with photos)

The advisories don’t mean the beaches are closed, but anyone swimming at the locations should take extra precautions, including showering shortly after swimming and avoiding ingestion of lake water.

A variety of diarrheal diseases and skin, ear and respiratory infections are associated with swimming in contaminated water, the DNR states.

The DNR conducts weekly monitoring of 39 state park beaches for E. coli and microcystin the week prior to Memorial Day through Labor Day.

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Photos: Big fish caught in North Iowa

Kathryn Barton – muskie

Kathryn Barton holds the 41.6-inch, 20-pound muskie she caught from her dock on Clear Lake on April 29.

Submitted photo

Steve Young muskie 1

Steve Young of Parkersburg shows off the 50-inch muskie he caught and released on Clear Lake May 15.

Courtesy Tyler Evers

Kid catches muskie

Hunter Palmer, 10, of Mason City, caught and released a 37-inch Muskie off the south shore in Clear Lake in May 2018. He was trying out his new “Lost Look” hook that he had just got from the bait shop down the road from where he caught the Muskie. The hook was empty and didn’t have any bait on it. The fish was measured for length and quickly released back into the lake. Palmer reeled it in and a family friend helped him get it in the net. The Muskie is Palmer’s first big fish.

Kaylara Hoadley

Houston muskie in East Park

Houston Conway holds a 14-pound muskie he caught in the Winnebago River in East Park on Sunday, May 21, 2017. His brother, Logan Conway, also caught a muskie that day.

Provided

Logan Conway and Muskie

Logan Conway holds a 15-pound, approximately 45-inch muskie he caught in the Winnebago River in East Park on Sunday, May 21, 2017. His brother, Houston, also caught a muskie in the park that day.

Provided

Steve Ibarra 2

Steve Ibarra, of Mason City, holds a 37-inch northern pike he caught in the Winnebago River in East Park on Feb. 17, 2017. He said he regularly catches pike, walleye and smallmouth bass in the park.

Clear Lake muskie

Nasheim walleye

In June, 2003, Nick Nasheim, 13, of Mason City, caught this walleye drifting on Clear Lake. He was using a worm.

File photo

Dalen’s cat

In a 1999 file photo, Cerro Gordo County Attorney Carlyle Dalen shows off a 44 pound flathead catfish he caught in the Mississippi River near Red Wing. It took Dalen and hour and 5 minutes to land the fish on 8 pound test line. He was fishing for walleye and using a jig.

File photo

Redig’s big fish

Michael Redig of Forest City displays an 8-pound, 10-ounce walleye he caught in June, 2008, on Clear Lake. The 28.5-inch fish was the biggest Redig had ever caught.

File photo

12th Street cat

Steven Randall, 11, of Mason City, displays the 8.5-pound catfish he caught in June, 2006, off the 12th Street bridge in Mason City. He used a nightcrawler to catch the big cat his biggest yet. Steven was fishing with his father, Joe. The fish was released back into the Winnebago River.

Tom Caswell’s Muskie

Big fish in St. Ansgar

From the left, Christian Vorland, Noah Diekhuis (both of Clear Lake) and Robert Kase of Manly, show off the northern pike they caught in 2002 in the Cedar River near St. Ansgar.

File photo

Santee’s northern pike

Gerald Santee of Nora Springs holds a 27-inch Northern Pike he caught at the Nora Springs dam in April, 2010.

File photo

Richards’ river monster

Don Richards, Mason City, holds a 45-inch, 25 pound muskie he caught in the Winnebago River at East Park in April, 2008. It was the third muskie he’d caught in the Winnebago River. Richards has released each muskie that he has caught.

File photo.

Randall’s pike

Joe Randall hoists the Northern Pike he caught in Mason City at Big Black Pit in September, 2003.

File photo

Mike Uhlenhopp’s northern pike

Mike Uhlenhopp of Alexander displays a 39.25-inch northern pike he caught Feb 24, 2005, on Clear Lake. He used a jig on 6 and 8-pound test line to land the fish, which weighed 15.10 pounds.

File photo

Lenz lands a big one

Ninety-two-year-old Ruby Lenz caught this 9-pound catfish in July, 2008, at the grade in Ventura. She and 10 other residents of Concord Care Center in Garner spent part of the day at the lake fishing and enjoying a cookout.

Georgia Hanford cat

Mason City’s Jon Lee hands his son Ryan, 11 the catfish, weighing over 15 pounds, the two pulled in while fishing for bluegills in 2004 in Georgia Hanford Park in Mason City.

File photo

Frank and the fish

Donnie Frank holds the 25-pound Northern Pike he caught in July, 2000, in a pond on private property. Frank used fish liver and a spray on odorant to bait the fish, which he said was on his line for probably half an hour.

file photo

Echelbarger’s northern pike

Robert Echelbarger of Mason City displays the 39-inch, 12-pound northern pike he caught in June, 2006, on the Cedar River just below the Mitchell dam. Echelbarger was fishing with his son, Rob.

File photo

East Park walleye

Scott Alman caught a Walleye at East Park in Mason City in June, 2003.

File photo

Mom and son muskie

The Globe Gazette 6-year-old William Elston and his mother Tammy Dibert, both of Mason City, caught a 50 inch Muskie in Clear Lake in 2003.

2 for one on Clear Lake

Wyatt, Craig and Leo Anderson show the muskie and crappie that 6-year-old Leo, right, caught on Clear Lake in June, 2016. The muskie was holding the crappie in its mouth when Leo reeled the pair in together.

Submitted photo

Big muskie caught on Clear Lake in January, 2016

Mark Zirbel hoists a 49.25-inch muskie he caught in Clear Lake in January, 2016. He had to pull the muskie through a narrow ice hole, which it barely went through, in order to land the big lunker.

Gabe Haugland

Walleye

Trish Tiedemann of Mason City caught this 8-pound, 28-inch walleye while fishing at Leech Lake in Minnesota.

Brad Tiedemann

Jensen’s Fishing the Midwest: Fall can be the best time for trophy fish

Depending on where you live, the young people and their teachers are getting ready to go back to school, football season is either here or just around the corner, and the fall fishing season is not far off. Some folks may not like this progression of seasons, but many anglers do. They know that autumn can provide the best fishing of the year for both numbers of fish and trophy fish. Many anglers have caught the biggest fish of their life in the fall. If we want to take full advantage of fall fishing, now is a good time to make preparations to do so. Following are some things to keep in mind as we prepare for fall fishing.

Whether you’re fishing a lake, river, or reservoir, at some point in the fall the fish will school up. In the summer they’ll be loosely schooled more of the time, but when the fish feel the water temperatures drop and notice the days getting shorter, they’ll group up. Therefore, it works well to keep moving with an eye on your sonar until you find where the fish are hanging out.

The importance of paying attention to your sonar was once again driven home on a fall trip to Lake Kabetogama a couple of years ago. Kab is known for its walleyes, but it’s also a world-class smallmouth fishery. We were fishing for the smallmouth on deep structures. We located the structures on the maps in our sonar units, then cruised over them looking for fish. The first two spots were fishless, the third showed fish.

We dropped jigs and dropshot rigs to them and had immediate action. Just for the heck of it, we tried similar looking structures that didn’t show fish on the sonar, and that’s what we caught: Nothing. The fact that you’ve got to fish where the fish are if you want to catch fish was reinforced that day. We were using Raymarine sonar at the time: I can’t remember which units we had, but the Axiom series of sonar from Raymarine that we’re using now does an amazing job of showing fish, and they have the other features necessary that make fish-catching so much more consistent.

Start the autumn season off with fresh line. Just as we start the season with fresh line, we want to be sure our connection to the fish is in good shape in the fall. Be sure that when that fish-of-a-lifetime eats your bait, your line will be ready to handle it. There are lots of line choices out there, and they all have a purpose. With that said, day-in and day-out, I use P-Line CX or CXX Premium. These are kind of like monofilament line, and I’ve developed a lot of trust in them. If I want more sensitivity and better hooksetting ability, I use XTCB braid with a Tactical fluorocarbon leader. This set-up provides the ultimate in strength and minimal stretch, yet allows for a very natural presentation.

In the fall, fish like larger lures. Even the smaller fish eat bigger baits in the autumn. Mother Nature tells the fish that it’s better to eat one large meal instead of several smaller ones. Use big bait for big fish.

There are lots of options for recreation in the fall. Football and hunting take up lots of folk’s time. But if you like to fish, reserve some time for doing-so. The weather is pleasant, the scenery is nice, and the catching can be outstanding. Discover that for yourself when the leaves on the trees turn colorful.

North Iowa anglers have landed some big fish over the years, reeling in massive walleyes, northern pike, catfish and muskies. This gallery con…

OSAGE | Local anglers had an opportunity to hear about the “mystery fish” — also known more commonly as the muskie, from Levi Nettleton, recent naturalist intern with Mitchell County Conservation.

Nettleton, who will be a senior science education major at the University of Northern Iowa this fall, told attendees muskies are known as the mystery fish because of their unpredictability.

“Muskies are very unpredictable,” he said. “You can find them in waters that are 6 inches to a 100 feet deep. They look like a pike, but they have six teeth instead of five teeth like northern, and northern are spotted.”

Nettleton said a female Muskie can lay up to 265,000 eggs, but their survival rate is very low. They spawn best in water temps of 55 to 65 degrees, laying their eggs randomly in shallow waters where predators can consume the eggs.

“Many fishermen believe the muskie is a major consumer of other game fish such as bass and walleye, but they are apt to eat softer fish like bullheads and minnows,” Nettleton said, noting they also eat insects, crayfish, small mammals and waterfowl.

“Many believe they are aggressive, but that isn’t true, unless they are feeding,” he said. “They are complicated for naturalists to study.”

Nettleton said Muskies’ habitats also vary, meaning they can be found in weeds like tobacco cabbage or 30 feet deep in open water. He said fisherman can find them in different places throughout the year.

Nettleton shared his enthusiasm for catching the large game fish, something he started four years ago.

“Once you do it, it can become an addiction,” he said. “There’s a lot of skill in muskie fishing, and sometimes, muskies are called the fish of a 100,000 casts.”

Nettleton’s study has rewarded him well, as he caught and released 36 muskies last year and 12 so far this year.

Fishermen seeking muskies typically use 7- to 10-foot rods, according to Nettleton. He uses a 300- to 400-foot reel with 22 pounds of drag, with 50-100 braid line and steel or fluorocarbon leaders.

He also carries needle-nosed pliers longer than 8 inches and a rubberized net, so he doesn’t harm the Muskie.

He gave some additional pointers:

• Leave the catch in the water and support and release it when the fish is calm.

• Cut the hook if the fish has been deep-hooked.

• Don’t fish over 80 degrees.

• If trolling, start at 2 mph, increasing to 4 mph.

• Do figure-eights to attract muskies.

Nettleton, who whose biggest catch was 53 inches long, said there are Muskies in the Cedar, Iowa, Shell Rock, and Winnebago rivers, as well as in Clear Lake.

The largest populations of muskies are in Minnesota, according to Nettleton, where the largest caught was 56 inches long and weighed 54 pounds.

North Iowa anglers have landed some big fish over the years, reeling in massive walleyes, northern pike, catfish and muskies. This gallery con…

Reach Reporter Ashley Stewart at 641-421-0533. Follow her on Twitter at GGastewart.